Apparatus, and associated method, for dynamically configuring a page message used to page an access terminal in a radio communication system

ABSTRACT

Apparatus, and an associated method, for paging an access terminal in a radio communication system. Dynamic configuration and reconfiguration of a quick page message is provided. Its configuration is dependent upon paging load in the system. Hash values are selected and used pursuant to the configuration, and use, of the message. A first hash value is selected within a first range. And, a second hash value is selected within a second range. The second range from which the second hash value is selected does not include the first hash value.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/841,323, filed on Aug. 20, 2007, whichclaims the priority of provisional patent application No. 60/823,213,filed on Aug. 22, 2006. These prior applications are hereby incorporatedinto the present application by reference.

The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to page anaccess terminal of a radio communication system to alert the accessterminal of a pending call, or other communication. More particularly,the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method,that provides for dynamic configuration of a quick page message that isbroadcast upon a paging channel, such as a QPCH (quick paging channel)defined in an exemplary cellular communication system. The page messageis caused to be configured in a manner dependent upon communicationactivity, such as paging load. And, if the paging load changes, theconfiguration of the quick page message is changed. An extended channelinformation message is generated and sent by the access network toinform an access terminal of the quick page message configuration. Theselected page message configuration is selected in a manner best tominimize the occurrence of false wakeup of the access terminal.Excessive battery depletion, as a result of false wakeup of the accessterminal, is avoided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Advancements in communication technologies have permitted thedevelopment and deployment of new types of communication systems andcommunication services. Cellular telephony, and associated communicationservices available therethrough, are popularly utilized by many,typically providing users with communication mobility and also providesthe capability of communications when the use of wireline communicationsystems would not be practical or possible.

While early-generation, cellular communication systems providedprimarily for voice communications and only limited data communicationservices, newer-generation systems increasingly provide for high-speeddata communication services at variable data communication rates. ACDMA2000, cellular communication system that provides for EV-DO servicesis an exemplary type of new-generation, cellular communication systemthat provides for high-speed data services. Operational details andprotocols defining communications and operational requirements ofdevices of the system are set forth in an operating standardspecification. Various aspects of operation of the CDMA2000 EV-DOcommunication scheme remain to be standardized and certain parts of theexisting standard specification are considered for amendment. Varioussuccessor-generation communication schemes are also undergoingstandardization and yet others are envisioned to be standardized.

For instance, a revision to the standard specification, release B of theCDMA2000 EV-DO specification standard that defines a quick pagingchannel (QPCH) available upon which to broadcast access-terminal pagesby an access network (AN) to an access terminal (AT). The QPCH wasadopted in industry contributions 3GPP2 C20-20060323-013R1 and 3GPP2C20-20060323-003R1 and published in 3GPP2 document C.S0024-B V1.0.Generally, pages are broadcast by the access network to an accessterminal to alert the access terminal of a pending communication. And byso alerting the access terminal, the access terminal performs actions topermit the effectuation of the communication. Page indications broadcastupon the quick paging channel are broadcast in a manner that facilitatesreduced battery consumption of the access terminal by reducing thebattery consumption of the battery of the access terminal. Increasedbattery longevity is provided, reducing the rate at which a battery ofthe access terminal must be recharged. The access terminal is, as aresult, able to be operated for a greater period of time betweenrechargings or battery replacement. The aforementioned promulgationsprovide for broadcast of a message including page indications upon aphysical logical layer that is monitored by the access terminal. Theaccess terminal monitors the QPCH prior to monitoring the controlchannel to receive regular, control channel MAC (medium access control)messages such as page messages. A quick page message is broadcast uponthe QPCH that contains quick page indicators. The quick page messageincludes a number of quick page indicator slots populated with quickpage indicators.

During operation, a mobile station hashes to a quick page indicatorlocation, i.e., slot, within the quick page message based upon a sessionseed, a 32-bit pseudorandom number. If the quick page indicator of thequick page indicator slot to which the access terminal hashes indicatesthat the access terminal is not being paged, the access terminal entersinto a sleep state, a reduced-power state, in which the access terminaldoes not remain powered at a level to receive the regular controlchannel MAC messages. Power savings is particularly significant in theevent that the control channel MAC messages are lengthy and spanmultiple control channel frames or capsules.

In the existing scheme, however, the access terminal is susceptible tothe occurrence of a false wakeup, that is, the access terminal does notenter into a sleep state but, rather, the access terminal enters into anactive state to monitor the regular control channel for reception ofregular control channel MAC messages even though there shall be nomessage for the access terminal. Because the communication system is amulti-user system, there is a possibility that another access terminalthat is being paged has its page indication hashed to the same pageindication slot. As the number of access terminals that are paged in asystem increases, the likelihood of occurrence of a false wakeupcorrespondingly increases.

Various proposals have been set forth relating to generation, and use,of quick paging messages on a QPCH. The IS-2000 QPCH and the EV-DORelease B Signaling QPCH pertain to quick page messages broadcast on aQPCH. The IS-2000 QPCH is permitting of configuration at either 9600 bpsor 4800 bps and also provides for the number of QPCHs to beconfigurable. The EV-DO release B signaling QPCH permits the number ofbits in the quick page message that are dedicated to paging indicatorsor indications, —PIs, to be changed by way of a field in the message, a“quick page indicator count minus one” field.

The QPCH message, as presently-proposed provides thirty-five pageindication locations, i.e., bits available to be populated with pagingindicators. A proposed “partial hash comparison” scheme utilizes threeof the thirty-five page indication locations, thereby reducing the pageindication locations available for paging to thirty-two bits. While theproposed, partial hash comparison scheme reduces the false wakeupprobability when paging load is relatively low, when the paging loadincreases, the reduction in the available page indication locationsactually increases the possibility of false wakeup. An improvement tothe existing proposal is needed as the proposal is beneficial only whenthe paging load is relatively low.

If a manner could be provided by which to reduce the occurrence of falsewakeups, improved battery longevity of the access terminal would bepossible.

It is in light of this background information related to paging by anaccess network of an access terminal that the significant improvementsof the present invention have evolved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a radio communicationsystem in which an embodiment of the present invention is operable.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of the determiner thatforms part of the communication system shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate tables listing exemplary false wakeupprobabilities when thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, andthirty-five, respectively, page indication locations in a quick pagemessage are formed and used during operation of the communication systemshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a graphical representation of the relationshipbetween the probability of occurrence of a false wakeup as a function ofthe number of pages in a multi-user communication system for variousnumbers of hashes.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary quick page message generated pursuant tooperation of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary quick page message generated pursuant tooperation of another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates formation of an exemplary quick page messagepursuant to operation of another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method flow diagram representative of the methodof operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus,and an associated method, by which to facilitate paging of an accessterminal of a radio communication system to alert the access terminal ofa pending call, or other communication.

Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a manner isprovided that dynamically configures a quick page message, such as aquick page message generated and sent upon a QPCH (Quick PagingChannel). The quick page message configuration is dependent upon pagingload or other indicia of communication activity in the communicationsystem. As the paging load changes, the quick page message isreconfigured if a different configuration provides for a lessenedprobability of occurrence of false wakeup of an access terminal thatmonitors the quick page channel.

Selection of the number of page indications per page is made to minimizebest the possibility of occurrence of a false wakeup. By reducing thelikelihood of occurrence of false wakeup, excessive battery depletionthat occurs as a result of false wakeup is less likely to occur.

In one aspect of the present invention, a quick page message isconfigured dynamically, depending upon the paging load, or othercommunication activity indicia, of the communication network. A selectednumber of available page indication locations of the quick page messagethat shall be populated with page indications is determined responsiveto the input indicia. When the quick page message is of a prescribednumber of page indication locations, such as thirty-five page indicationlocations, the number of page indication locations caused to beavailable to be populated with page indicators is thirty-five or fewer.Depending upon the paging load, or other input indicia, one or more ofthe page indication locations is allocated for identifying the number ofpage indications per page that are used in the quick page message. Oneor more page indication locations is also, or alternately, used forpurposes of indicating whether a partial hash comparison or variablepage indications per page scheme is utilized in the quick page message.

In another aspect of the present invention, the quick page messageconfigurer also selects the number of page indications per page thatshall be utilized for purposes of paging an access terminal. The numberof page indications per page as well as the number of page indicationlocations that are configured to be made available for population withpage indicators is selected to minimize the possibility of false wakeup.

In another aspect of the present invention, upon configuration of thequick page message, a signaling message generator generates a sendmessage that includes an indication of the configuration of the quickpage message. The signaling message identifies both the number of pageindication locations of the quick page message and the number of pageindications per page that shall be contained in the quick page message.And, if partial hash comparison is performed, the send message formed bythe signaling message generator includes such an indication.

As the configuration is dynamic, reconfigurable when system paging load,or other communication activity indicia, changes, the quick page messageis caused to be reconfigured, as appropriate. And, a signaling messageis generated that identifies the reconfigured quick page message.

In another aspect of the present invention, hashing is performed at bothan access network and at an access terminal using the same input number,such as a session seed defined in the CDMA2000 EV-DO operatingspecification standard or other pseudorandom number, or another inputnumber, such as an access terminal identifier (ATI). Hashing isperformed upon the input number in the same manner, independently, atthe access network and at the access terminal. Multiple hashes areformed by hashing the input number in different manners, e.g., such asby rotating the bit sequence of the input number to create differenthash values. The number of hash values that are generated corresponds,or is otherwise responsive to, the set number of page indications perpage. Alternately, different hash functions are used to create thedifferent hashes. Formation of the multiple hashes is sometimes referredto herein as multi-hashing. Each hash function operation is carried outin the same manner at the access network and at the access terminal sothat the resultant hash values generated at the respective entities areidentical. For instance, hashing is first performed at both the accessnetwork and at the access terminal upon the input number in non-rotatedform. Then, the hashing is performed, again at both the access networkand at the access terminal, upon the input number whose bits are rotatedby a first number of bits. If additional hashing is performed, theaccess network and the access terminal both perform the hashing upon theinput number, whose bits are further rotated, again in the same mannerat the access network and at the access terminal. Bit rotation alsodecorrelates the hashed values.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the hashing is performedupon the input number by operation of a hash function, or algorithm,upon the input number. The hash function, e.g., is time-varying orotherwise, in some manner, generates hash values that aretime-dependent. And, if multiple hash values are generated, viz. whenthe set number of page indications per page is two or more, the hashvalues are further caused to be dissimilar. That is to say, whenmultiple hash values are generated, a later-generated hash value iscaused to be of a value different than any earlier-generated hash value.

In another aspect of the present invention, the access networkidentifies the number of hashes, and the corresponding number of pageindications per page, that are to be included in a quick page message topage a particular access terminal. A signaling message is generated thatincludes an indication of the number of hashes or page indications perpage that are going to be broadcast by the access network to aparticular access terminal within a paging message. The access terminal,from this signaling message, ascertains the number of page indicationsthat are going to be directed to the access terminal in the quick pagemessage. Responsive to this received number, the access terminalperforms hashing upon an input number to form an appropriate number ofhash values, and such hash values are used pursuant to analysis of thepage message, when received, to identify where in the page message todetect values of page indicators.

In another aspect of the present invention, the number of hashesperformed by the access network and, correspondingly, the number ofhashes performed at the access terminal, is a selectable number,selected to minimize the likelihood of occurrence of false wakeup. Thenumber is selected, at least in part, based upon the number of pagesthat are to be made to other access terminals. And, more generally, thenumber of hashes is responsive to communication activity in thecommunication system. When many access terminals are paged, the numberof page indications, and hash values, per access terminal is, e.g., asmall value. And, conversely, when only a small number of accessterminals are to be paged, the number of page indications, and hashvalues, is, e.g., large. Generally, the number of hash values andresultant page indications per access terminal, populated into a pagemessage for a particular access terminal, is inversely proportional tothe communication activity, that is, the number of other pages that aremade to other access terminals during a particular period of operationof the communication system. Ideally, the number of page indications andhash values per access terminal is chosen in a way to minimize theprobability of false wakeup.

In another aspect of the present invention, the hash values determinewhere in the page message that the page indications are populated. Thehashing performed at the access network and at the access terminal arecarried out in the same manners. The page indication locations of a pagemessage in which the page indication values are populated are the samehash values that are generated at the access terminal, and the accessterminal detects and analyzes the corresponding page indicationlocations of the page message, once received at the access terminal.

In another aspect of the present invention, in the event that any of thevalues of the page indications populating the page indication locationscorresponding to the hash values indicate that the access terminal isnot being paged, the access terminal enters into a sleep state. Forinstance, if the access terminal detects any page indication value towhich the access terminal hashes and determines the access terminal isnot being paged, the access terminal enters into a sleep state. Thereby,the access terminal is more quickly able to enter into a power-saving,sleep mode. Conversely, if the access terminal identifies a pageindication value populating a page indication location that indicatesthat the access terminal is being paged and the access terminal knowsthat multiple page indications are broadcast to the access terminal inthe quick page message, the access terminal monitors for the same pageindication value in another page indication location to which the accessterminal hashes. If the first positive indication is a false indication,monitoring of a second, or other, page indication locations prior todetermining finally that the access terminal is being paged reduces thelikelihood of occurrence of false wakeup. Thereby, the access terminaldoes not enter into an active state to receive a communicationresponsive to a false wakeup indication. Improved power consumptioncharacteristics of the access terminal result, providing better batterylongevity.

In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associatedmethod, is provided for an access network of a communication networkthat selectably generates a first page message on a first pagingchannel. A communication activity input indicia identifier is configuredto identify communication activity input indicia of the communicationnetwork. A first page message configurer is adapted to receiveindication of identification by the communication activity input indiciaidentifier of the communication activity input indicia. The first pagemessage is configured to cause configuration of the first page messageto include a selected number of available page indication locations ofthe first page message for population with page indications.

In these and further aspects, therefore, further apparatus, and anassociated method, is provided for an access terminal that monitors afirst paging channel for delivery of a first paging message. A sendmessage detector is configured to detect a send message deliveredseparate from the first paging message. The send message includes anindication of configuration of the first paging message. A first pagingmessage content detector is configured to detect contents of the firstpaging message in a manner responsive to the indication of theconfiguration of the first paging message indicated in the send messagedetected by the send message detector.

Referring first, therefore, to FIG. 1, a radio communication system,shown generally at 10, provides for communications with accessterminals, of which the access terminal 12 is exemplary. Thecommunication system forms a multi-user communication system thattypically includes a large number of access terminals and a plurality ofconcurrent communication dialogs. While only a single access terminal isshown in FIG. 1, additional access terminals, analogous to the accessterminal 12, typically form a portion of the communication system.

Communications are effectuated between an access terminal and a radionetwork 14, formed of fixed network infrastructure elements, such as abase transceiver station (BTS) 16 and a base station controller (BSC)18. The access network encompasses a geographical area within whichcommunications with the access network are possible. That is to say,when an access terminal is positioned within the area encompassed by theaccess network, the access terminal is generally able to communicatewith the access network, and the access network is typically able tocommunicate with the access terminal.

The communication system is operable in general conformity with theoperating protocols and parameters of an appropriate communicationspecification standard. The description set forth herein is exemplary,and the teachings of various embodiments of the present invention areimplementable in any of various types of communication systems.

As previously mentioned, the access terminal is alerted, by broadcast ofpage messages when a communication, initiated at the network, is to beterminated at the access terminal. A quick paging channel (QPCH), oranalogous channel, is defined. Quick page indications, populating aquick page message, are of values that identify whether an accessterminal is being paged. However, also as noted previously, particularlyduring times of heavy usage, a false wakeup of the access terminal mightoccur due to a quick page indication in the message intended for oneaccess terminal is broadcast within a slot that is also used by anotherof the access terminals. False wakeup prevents an access terminal fromentering into a power-saving sleep mode.

Accordingly, pursuant to an embodiment of the present invention, theaccess network includes apparatus 24, and the access terminal includesapparatus 26, that operate to reduce the likelihood of the occurrence offalse wakeup. The elements of the apparatus 24 and the apparatus 26 arefunctionally represented, implementable in any desired manner,including, for instance, by algorithms executable by processingcircuitry.

The elements forming the apparatus 24 are implemented at any appropriatelocation of the access network 14, including, as illustrated, at the BTS16 and BSC 18 or distributed amongst such entities as well as others.

Here, the apparatus 24 includes a page message configuration and pagequantity per page determiner 32. The determiner is coupled to receive,as input indicia, indications of network activity on the line 34. Thenetwork activity is quantified, for instance, in a number of pagevalues. The network is aware, e.g., of the number of access terminalsthat shall be paged. Or, the number of page values comprises, e.g., anexpected number of pages, an average number of prior pages, or otherpaging quantity indicia. The number is representative of the pagingload. The characteristics of the quick page message, viz., the number ofpage indication locations of the message are also made known to thedeterminer. Here, the line 35 is representative of such informationprovided to the determiner. In an exemplary implementation in which thecharacteristics of the message are static, the number of page indicationlocations, e.g., thirty-five page indication locations, is maintained ata storage element of the, or accessible by, the determiner. Responsiveto the indication of the network activity, the determiner determines theconfiguration of the quick page message and the number of hashes thatare to be generated, and the number of page indications per page, thatare to be provided pursuant to paging of an access terminal in a quickpaging message. As conditions, e.g., the paging load, change, the pagemessage is reconfigured, and, if appropriate, the number of pageindications per page also is changed.

In an alternate implementation, the number of hash values is a setnumber, e.g., a fixed number greater than one. The fixed number of two,e.g., appears to work well when the number of page indication locationsin a quick page message is about one hundred eighty. The number of hashvalues and number of page indications correspond.

An indication of the determined quantity of page indications per page isprovided to a signaling message generator and to a hash generator, a“hasher”, 38. A number known to both the access network and to theaccess terminal, such as a session seed or other pseudorandom number, ora number such as an access terminal identifier (ATI) is also provided tothe hash generator 38, here represented by way of the line 42. The hashgenerator hashes the number. That is to say, a hash function isperformed upon the number to generate a hash value. Different hashvalues are provided by, e.g., rotating the number provided to the hashgenerator and performing the hash function, or algorithm, thereon.Multiple hash values are generated, for instance, by operating uponmultiple rotations of the number, the number of hash values determinedby the value provided to the hash generator on the line 44 by thedeterminer 32. With an ideal hash function, all values are equallylikely to be generated. An exemplary hash function comprises amathematical “modulo” operation. A time factor, known to both the accessnetwork and the access terminal, such as a system clock time, is, in oneembodiment, further provided to, and used by, the hash generator in theformation of hash values. Such factor is represented by line 43 in FIG.1.

The signaling message generator 36 to which the value determined by thedeterminer 32 is provided generates a signaling message, here generatedupon the line 45, that identifies the quantities and page messageconfiguration determined by the determiner. The signaling message isbroadcast to the access terminal 12, thereby to alert the accessterminal of the determined quantities and configuration.

The hash values created by the hash generator 38 are provided to a pageindication populator 48. The page indication populator 48 is alsoprovided with a network communication request, here provided by way ofthe line 52. The page indication populator selects page indicationvalues depending upon whether the access terminal is to be paged. Forinstance, when an access terminal is to be paged, the page indicationvalues are logical “1” values. In one implementation, all values areinitially logical “0” values and then set as appropriate. The pageindication values and their associated page indication locations,defined by the hash values generated by the hash generator 38, areprovided to a QPCH, or other, message generator 54. The page messagegenerator is also provided with configuration information determined bythe determiner. The message generator forms a page message that includesa plurality of page indication locations corresponding in configurationto that selected by the determiner. The page indication populatorpopulates selected page indication locations of the message with thepage indication values. The locations populated with a page indicationvalue are determined by the hash values generated by the hash generator38. In like manner, page indications are formed for other accessterminals and hash values are generated to define at where in the pagemessage the page indications intended for other access terminals arepopulated in the message generated by the message generator 54. When theresultant message is broadcast by the access network, access terminals,such as the access terminal 12, are provided with an indication ofwhether the access terminal is to be paged, and, if the page message isconfigured pursuant to a partial hash comparison, such information isalso part of the message.

Transceiver elements of the base transceiver station 16 cause broadcastof the messages generated by the message generators 36 and 54 of theapparatus 24 upon a radio air interface, represented in FIG. 1 by thearrow 62. The messages are delivered to the access terminal 12 as wellas other access terminals within reception range of the broadcastmessage. The access terminal 12 includes transceiver circuitry, hererepresented by a receive part 64 and a transmit part 66. The receivepart 64 operates to receive signals sent thereto, such as the messagesgenerated by the apparatus 24 of the access network. And, certain of thedetected signals are provided to the apparatus 26. Of significance hereare detections of the signaling message generated by the signalingmessage generator 36 of the access network and of the page messagegenerated by the message generator 54.

Indications are provided to a signaling message detector and analyzer68. The detector and analyzer operate to detect the contents of thesignaling message and analyze the detected message to ascertain the pagemessage configuration and the number of page indications per accessterminal indicated in the message. Indications are provided, here by wayof the line 72, to a hash generator 74. The hash generator is alsoprovided with values of the input number, here indicated to be providedby way of the line 76, known to both the access network and accessterminal. The time factor, known to both the access network and accessterminal is also provided to the generator 74, here represented by wayof line 77. The hash generator operates in manners analogous tooperation of the hash generator 38 of the access network to perform hashfunctions upon the input number. And, the input number provided to thehash generator corresponds to the input number provided to the hashgenerator 38 on the line 42. The number of hash values generated by thehash generator corresponds to the number identified by the detector andanalyzer 68. If partial hash comparison is called for, the bits, i.e.,page indication locations allocated thereto, are accordingly utilized.Hash values created by the hash generator are provided to a QPCH (QuickPaging Channel), or other, page message detector 82. The hash valuescreated by the hash generator identify to the page message detectorwhich of the page indication locations that should be monitored todetermine whether a page is broadcast to the access terminal. Themessage broadcast by the access network and detected and operated uponby the access terminal is an atomic message. That is to say, all of thebits are received in a single message. Responsive to detections made bythe detector, an indication is provided to an access terminal (AT) statecontroller 84 to control the state into which the access terminal isplaced.

In the event that the first quick page indication slot monitored by themessage detector indicates no page message broadcast to the accessterminal, the state controller places the access terminal into a sleepmode. If a first of the quick page indication slots monitored by thedetector indicates a page to have been broadcast, but a second of thequick page indication slots monitored by the detector indicates no page,the state controller also causes the access terminal to enter into alow-power, sleep mode. Additional page indications, if more than two,are analogously monitored. The occurrence of a false wakeup is reducedas one or more additional quick page indications are monitored toprovide further indication of whether a page has been sent to the accessterminal, and the number of page indications per page is selected tominimize the false wakeup occurrence.

FIG. 2 illustrates a representation of the page message configurationand page quantity per page determiner 32 that forms a part of theapparatus 24 of the access network shown in FIG. 1. The determiner ishere shown to include a communication activity input indicia indicator88, a first page message configurer 89, and a page indication countsetter 90. The elements of the determiner are functionally represented,implementable in any desired manner, including by algorithms executableby processing circuitry.

Again, lines 34 and 35 are representative of inputs identifying networkactivity and quick page message characteristics, respectively. Theidentifier 88 operates to detect the values of the inputs providedthereto. The network activity provided to the identifier provides anindication of the paging load in the communication system. If the quickpage message characteristics, that is to say, the number of pageindication locations, or bits, of the quick page message are aprescribed value, such as thirty-five, the value is maintained at thedeterminer, and need not be repeatedly provided thereto.

Indications of the input indicia identified by the identifier areprovided to a first page message configurer 89 and to a page indicationcounter setter 90. The first page message configurer operates to selecta configuration of the first page message, that is, the number of theavailable page indication locations of the page message that shall beused to be populated with page indication values and how many, if any,of the page indication locations shall be used for other purposes. And,the page indication count setter operates to select the number of pageindications per page that shall be used to page an access terminal inthe resultant page message. Selections made by the configurer and setter89 and 90 are provided to the signaling message generator, the hashgenerator, and the QPCH message generator 54, as described above withrespect to FIG. 1. By way of example, the page message configuration andthe page indication count per page is dependent upon the paging load. Ifthe paging load is consistently heavy, e.g., the paging load isconsistently greater than fifteen pages per quick paging message,configuration of the message is made such that all of the pageindication locations of the message are used for population with pageindication values. Alternately, during a period of time in which thepaging load varies consistently between, e.g., ten to twenty pages perquick page message, configuration of the quick paging is made such thata single page indication location is used to indicate whether there areone or two page indications per page. And, the remaining pagingindication locations are used for population with page indicationvalues. Alternately, if the paging load is varying consistently between,e.g., ten and sixteen pages per quick paging message, configuration ofthe quick paging message is selected such that two page indications perpage are used and all of the page indication locations of the messageare used for population with page indication values. Alternately, if thepaging load is varying consistently between, e.g., six and fifteen pagesper message, configuration of the message is selected such that a singlebit is used to indicate whether there are two or three page indicationsper page, and the remaining page indication locations are used forpopulation with page indication values. Alternately, e.g., if the pagingload is varying consistently between six and twenty pages per quickpaging message, the quick paging message is configured such that twobits are used to indicate whether there are one, two, three, or fourpage indications per page, and the remaining page indication locationsare used for population with page indication values. Alternately, if thepaging load is varying consistently between zero and nine pages perquick paging message, configuration of the message is selected such thatone page indication location is used to indicate whether partial hashcomparison is to be performed or whether variable page indications perpage operation is used. When partial hash comparison is used, anadditional two page indication locations are used to indicate whetherone, two, three, or four access terminals are being paged. And, theremaining, e.g., thirty-two, page indication locations are used tospecify partial hashes. And, in the event of variable page indicationsper page, an additional two page indication locations are used toindicate whether there are one, two, three, or four page indications perpage, and the remaining page indication locations are used forpopulation with page indication values.

The signaling message generated by the generator 36 comprises, orincludes, an extended channel information message that includes, or isformed of, a four-bit field. In exemplary operation, the CRC (CyclicRedundancy Code) of the quick paging message is scrambled by a signaturethat is broadcast on an out-of-band configuration channel. The accessterminal that receives the message then receives full configurationinformation in the extended channel information when the decoding of theCRC fails. In addition to allowing for various configurations, theconcept of partial hash comparison is merged with the use of variouspage indications per page. For the occurrence of one to five pages, theaccess network places a portion of a hash of paged access terminals'ATIs (Access Terminal Identifiers) in the quick paging message. Accessterminals that detect a message, compare the values of the hashes oftheir respective ATIs to the partial bits in the quick paging message.An access terminal monitors for a page only if any of the partial hashesmatch.

In another implementation, alternately, the calculations for a pluralityof possible combinations are pre-calculated and stored at a look-uptable. The contents of the look-up table are accessed, and comparisonsare made between different values stored thereat, all to determine thenumber of page indications per page that shall be included in the quickpage channel message.

The signaling message, as above-noted, comprises, or is formed of anExtended Channel Info Message. Its exemplary format and exemplaryvalue-definitions follow.

Extended Channel Info Message

Field Bits [. . .] QPCHconfiguration 4 [. . .]

QPCH Configuration Definition

Value Meaning ‘0000’ Partial Hash Comparison and Variable PIs per pageincluded ‘0001’ Variable PIs per page included (1-4 PIs per page) ‘0010’Variable PIs per page included (1-2 PIs per page) ‘0011’ Variable PIsper page included (2-3 PIs per page) ‘0100’ Variable PIs per pageincluded (3-4 PIs per page) ‘0101’ Only PIs included (1 PI per page)‘0110’ Only PIs included (2 PIs per page) ‘0111’ Only PIs included (3PIs per page) ‘1000’ Only PIs included (4 PIs per page) ‘1001’ to ‘1111’ReservedThe following exemplary structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCH configuration is set to ‘0000’:

Field Bits PartialComparison 1 RemainingBits 34PartialComparison are set to ‘1’ if 1, 2, 3, or 4 ATs are being paged;otherwise PartialComparison are set to ‘0’.If Partial Comparison is set to ‘1’ the RemainingBits field is set asfollows:

Field Bits NumberOfPages 2 ComparisonBits 32

NumberOfPages Definition

Value Meaning ‘00’ 1 AT is being paged ‘01’ 2 ATs are being paged ‘10’ 3ATs are being paged ‘11’ 4 ATs are being pagedThe RemainingBits field is set as follows if NumberOfPages is set to‘00’:

Field Bits 32Comparison 3232Comparison is set to the 32 bits associated with the AT being pagedthat ATs are to compare with to determine if they are being paged.The RemainingBits field shall be set as follows if NumberOfPages is setto ‘01’:

Field Bits 16Comparison1 16 16Comparison2 1616Comparison1 and 16Comparison2 are set to the 16 bits associated withthe two ATs being paged that ATs are to compare with to determine ifthey are being paged.The RemainingBits field is set as follows if NumberOfPages is set to‘10’:

Field Bits 10Comparison1 10 10Comparison2 10 10Comparison3 1010Comparison1, 10Comparison2, and 10Comparison3 are set to the 10 bitsassociated with the three STs being paged that ATs are to compare withto determine if they are being paged.The RemainingBits field is set as follows if NumberOfPages is set to‘11’:

Field Bits 8Comparison1 8 8Comparison2 8 8Comparison3 8 8Comparison4 88Comparison1, 8Comparison2, 8Comparison3, and 8Comparison4 are set tothe 8 bits associated with the four ATs being paged that ATs are tocompare with to determine if they are being paged.If Partial Comparison is set to ‘0’, the RemainingBits field is set asfollows:

Field Bits PIsPerPage 2 PIs 32

PIsPerPage Definition

Value Meaning ‘00’ 1 PI per page ‘01’ 2 PIs per page ‘10’ 3 PIs per page‘11’ 4 PIs per pageThe PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT (accessterminal) being paged, there are either 1, 2, 3, or 4 PIs per page,depending upon the setting of PIsPerPage.

The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0001’:

Field Bits PIsPerPage 2 PIs 33

PIsPerPage Definition

Value Meaning ‘00’ 1 PI per page ‘01’ 2 PIs per page ‘10’ 3 PIs per page‘11’ 4 PIs per pageThe PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are either 1, 2, 3, or 4 PIs per page, depending upon thesetting of PIsPerPage.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0010’:

Field Bits PIsPerPage 1 PIs 34

PIsPerPage Definition

Value Meaning ‘0’ 1 PI per page ‘1’ 2 PIs per pageThe PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are either 1 or 2 PIs per page, depending upon the settingof PIsPerPage.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0011’:

Field Bits PIsPerPage 1 PIs 34

PIsPerPage Definition

Value Meaning ‘0’ 2 PI per page ‘1’ 3 PIs per pageThe PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are either 2 or 3 PIs per page, depending upon the settingof PIsPerPage.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0100’:

Field Bits PIsPerPage 1 PIs 34

PIsPerPage Definition

Value Meaning ‘0’ 3 PIs per page ‘1’ 4 PIs per pageThe PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are either 3 or 4 PIs per page, depending upon the settingof PIsPerPage.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0101’;

Field Bits PIs 35The PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there is 1 PI per page.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0110’:

Field Bits PIs 35The PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are 2 PIs per page.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘0111’:

Field Bits PIs 35The PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are 3 PIs per page.The following structure is used for the QPCH message when theQPCHconfiguration is set to ‘1000’:

Field Bits PIs 35The PIs field contains the hashed paging indicators. For each AT beingpaged, there are 4 PIs per page.

The format and value-definitions are exemplary. In otherimplementations, the signaling message is formed and defined in othermanners.

Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, falsewakeup probability is reduced.

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate tables that list exemplary false wakeupprobabilities when quick page messages of various configurations, i.e.,allocations of page indication locations, are populated with pageindication values. The table of FIG. 3 is representative of false wakeupprobabilities when thirty-two page indication locations are used. Thetable of FIG. 4 is representative of false wakeup probabilities whenthirty-three page indication locations are used. And, FIGS. 5 and 6 arerepresentative of exemplary probabilities when thirty-four andthirty-five PI locations are used. Highlighted portions indicate thenumber of page indications per page that provide the lowest false wakeupprobabilities for various numbers of pages.

FIG. 7 illustrates a graphical representation, shown generally at 102,that shows the relationship between the occurrence of false wakeup andthe number of pages in the communication system 10 shown in FIG. 1,pursuant to exemplary operation. Plots 104 illustrate the generalproportional relationship between the number of pages to accessterminals in a multi-user communication scheme and the occurrence offalse wakeup, represented in terms of probability. Four plots, plots104-1, 104-2, 104-3, and 104-4, are shown. The plot 104-1 isrepresentative of the relationship when a single page indication isprovided to a particular access terminal in a page message to alert theaccess terminal of the page. A single hash value is generated, and thepage indication is populated in a single page indication locationdetermined by the single hash value. The plot 104-2 is representative oftwo page indication bits provided in the page message to alert aparticular access terminal of the page. Two hash values are generated,and the page indication locations in which the page indications arepositioned are determined by the two hash values. The plot 104-3 isrepresentative of use of three page indications in a page message toalert a particular access terminal of the page. Three hash values aregenerated and their values are determinative of the positioning of thethree page indication locations in which the page indications arepopulated. And, the plot 104-4 is representative of the relationshipbetween false wakeup occurrence when four page indications are used in apage message to page the access terminal.

Review of the plots shows that the number of page indications in a pagemessage that provides the lowest false wakeup probability for a givennumber of pages in the communication system, i.e., network activity,varies with the number of pages. Pursuant to operation of an embodimentof the present invention, advantage is taken of this relationship in theselection of the number of page indications to use per access terminal.Such selection is made, e.g., by the determiner 32 shown in FIG. 1.Selection is made in such a way as to minimize the false wakeupprobability. For each number of pages, i.e., network activity, selectionis made of the number of page indications that are to be used to page,in the quick page message, an access terminal. Using, for instance,plots analogous to the plots 104 shown in FIG. 7, the lowest curve foreach of the number of pages, i.e., network activity, is selected.Analysis indicates that, when a number of pages is relatively small, thelowest probability of false wakeup occurs when greater number of pageindications per access terminal are utilized.

Conversely, at higher numbers of pages, i.e., network activity, lessernumbers of page indications provides the lowest false wakeupprobabilities. Changeover occurs at various thresholds, indicated in therepresentation of FIG. 7 when plots cross one another.

Once determination and selection is made at the access network,indication of the selection is provided to an access terminal. Thenumber of page indications, known at both the access network and at theaccess terminal, permits operation of the apparatus 24 and 26 incoordinated manner. In the exemplary implementation, the page indicationvalues populating a quick page message are all received in the samemessage. The access terminal need not wake up at different times forseparate bits as all of the bits of the message are received at once inthe same message. Furthermore, the same page indicator values are hashedinstead of, as previously utilized, making divisions into multiplephysical groups. And, the page indication locations defined by the hashvalues are further able to be generated in a manner such that the pageindication locations are dissimilar. Rotation of the input number usedin the generation of the hash values decorrelates the hash values, andthe introduction of time variance in the hash function also provides forhash value dissimilarity.

FIG. 8 illustrates part of an exemplary quick page message, showngenerally at 108. The message is generated, for instance, with respectto the configuration shown in FIG. 1, at the message generator 54. Thequick page message includes a plurality, here 33, page indicationlocations 112, numbered as 1-33. Initially, each page indicationlocation is set to logical “0” values. Page indications for four accessterminals 12, identified as AT1, AT2, AT3, and AT4, are represented inthe message 108. A hash generator generates hash values of 8 and 6 forthe access terminal AT1. And, page indication locations 8 and 6 arepopulated with values to indicate whether the access terminal AT1 ispaged. Here, the logical values “1” are inserted into the pageindication locations 8 and 6 that identify that the AT1 is paged.Analogously, with respect to the access terminal AT2, the hash generatorgenerates hash values of 7 and 21, and page indications are insertedinto page indication locations 7 and 21 to identify that the accessterminal AT2 is paged. Hash values 21 and 13 generated with respect tothe access terminal AT3 cause page indication locations 21 and 13 to bepopulated with page indication bits to identify, here, that the accessterminal AT3 is paged. And, hash values generated with respect to theaccess terminal AT4 of 25 and 3 cause the page indication locations 25and 3 to be populated with page indication bits, here again to identifythat the access terminal AT4 is paged. In this implementation, any ofthe page indication locations of the message 108 are available to bepopulated with page indication bits associated with any of the accessterminals. And, as indicated at the page indication location 21, a pageindication location might include a page indication bit associated withmore than one of the access terminals. Ideally, the hash generatorgenerates hash values that permit even, viz. equal, distribution of pageindication values across the entire message 108. Each hash for aparticular access terminal hashes over the same page indication locationin contrast to conventional procedures. And, through use of the timefactor, the occurrence of repeated generation of hash values of similarvalues, and corresponding population of the same page indicationlocations, for a particular access terminal, is unlikely.

FIG. 9 illustrates part of another message, here shown generally at 116that also includes thirty-three page indication locations 112 that arepopulated with page indication values, here again to page accessterminals AT1, AT2, AT3, and AT4. Here, the message is divided into twogroups, a first group 118, and a second group 122. Initially, here also,each page indication location is set to logical “0” values. In thisimplementation, only a single page indication location per group isavailable for page indicator values associated with a particular accessterminal. That is to say, with respect to the access terminal AT1, asingle page indication location in the first group is available, and asingle page indication location in the second group is available. When ahash value generated by the hash value generator is of a value withinthe first group, another hash value must be of a value within the secondgroup. Ideally, the hash generator generates hash values that permiteven distribution of page indication values across each group of themessage. And, as shown in the representation of FIG. 9, a pageindication location is available to each of the access terminals in thefirst group and in the second group. The example shown in FIG. 9 is foran implementation in which two page indication bits are available withinthe page message per access terminal. If additional page indication bitsare available, the page message is divided into additional numbers ofgroups of substantially equal size, and the page indication locationsare correspondingly made available in each of the additional numbers ofgroups.

FIG. 10 illustrates a quick page message 126 and the manner by which ahash generator operates pursuant to another embodiment. Here, four pageindication locations are made available to the access terminal AT1 overthe thirty-three bits of the quick page message. And, again, each pageindication location is initially set to logical “0” values. When a hashvalue is selected and the page indication location determined therefromis used, that page indication location is no longer available to thataccess terminal at which to populate the message with another pageindication value. That is to say, a hash value cannot be repeated forthat access terminal. In the representation shown in FIG. 10, a firstpage indication value is populated in page indication location 10. Herealso, ideally, the hash generator generates hash values that permit evendistribution of page indications across all of the available pageindication locations. As noted below, when a page indication location isused, the location becomes no longer available. Page indication location10 is no longer available for the access terminal AT1. A next-generatedhash value is of 11 and a page indication bit is inserted into the pageindication location 11. Thereafter, neither page indication locations 10nor 11 are available. A subsequently-generated hash value of 20 causesthe page indication value to be inserted into page indication location20. And, thereafter, page indication locations 10, 11, and 20 are nolonger available. A fourth-generated hash value of 5 is generated, andthe page indication location 5 is populated with a page indicationvalue. In this implementation, use of a time factor is generally notrequired.

FIG. 11 shows a method flow diagram, shown generally at 132,representative of exemplary operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention for selecting, at a communication network, a page indicationcount of page indications per page to be included in a first pagemessage.

First, and as indicated by the block 134, communication activity inputindicia of the communication network is identified. Then, and asindicated by the block 136, the configuration of the first page messageis caused to include a selected number of page indication locations ofthe first page message for population with page indications.

Thereby, through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, anaccess terminal is able better, and quickly, to determine whether a pageis broadcast thereto. If a quick page message, page indication locationto which the access terminal hashes fails to include an indication thatthe access terminal is being paged, the access terminal enters into areduced power state. The occurrence of false wakeup is less likely tooccur due to the selection of page indications per page that minimizesthe occurrence of false wakeup of an access terminal.

The previous descriptions are of preferred examples for implementing theinvention, and the scope of the invention should not necessarily belimited by this description. The scope of the present invention isdefined by the following claims.

1. A method in an access network apparatus, said method comprising:selecting a format for a page message, the format selected from aplurality of page message formats that include at least a first formathaving a first number of page indicators per access terminal page and asecond format having a different, second number of page indicators peraccess terminal page; generating a signaling message that includes aconfiguration field set to a configuration value to indicate whichformat for the page message was selected, the configuration value beingone of a first value to indicate the first format for the page messageand a second value to indicate the second format for the page message;transmitting the signaling message over a configuration channel that isdifferent from a paging channel; generating the page message accordingto the selected format; and transmitting the page message over a pagingchannel.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the page message includespage indicator locations having page indicators, said page indicatorlocations locatable using hash values, said page indicators at said pageindicator locations being indicative of an access terminal page.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein said hash values are based at least in partupon the configuration value.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst format is used for a page message having two page indicators peraccess terminal page, and the second format is used for a page messagehaving three page indicators per access terminal page.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the signaling message is comprised of an extendedchannel information message.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein a portionof page message is scrambled by a signature that is transmitted over theconfiguration channel.